Former Pitt Assistant Coach Takes Maryland Job

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have one of their former staff members in a new position on a new team next season.

Maryland announced that Andre Powell, who coached at Pitt, is their new special teams coordinator for the 2025 season. Powell spent last season in the same position at East Carolina.

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞@CoachAPowell is our new Special Teams Coordinator!

🔗https://t.co/DcJe5kz1wB pic.twitter.com/IVld28DSPs
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) February 11, 2025

Powell spent nine seasons at Pitt from 2015-23 as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator, joining head coach Pat Narduzzi as a part of his initial staff.

He had success throughout his tenure with the running backs, with James Conner earning All-ACC First Team honors in 2016, both Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall becoming the first Pitt duo to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, and Israel Abanikanda earning First Team All-American honors in 2022.

Both the running backs and special teams units struggled towards the end of his tenure at Pitt.

The Panthers ranked last in the ACC in rushing yards in 2023 with 101.9 per game, 16 less than the next team, and he never had a true running back that season, with C'Bo Flemister and Rodney Hammond splitting carries.

Pitt struggled punting the ball as well, with three different punters used in 2022 and then Caleb Junko through 2023, who had a few miscues throughout the season.

Narduzzi fired Powell following that season, along with tight ends coach Tim Salem, another initial staff member under him. He also fired offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and offensive line coach Dave Borbely as well.

Pitt hired a new offensive coordinator Kade Bell, who brought in Lindsey Lamar as his running backs coach, coming from Howard.

Running back Desmond Reid excelled for the Panthers, with 184 carries for 966 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, and five touchdowns, plus 52 catches for 579 yards and four touchdowns. He earned numerous Second Team All-American honors as an all-purpose back.

Jacob Bronowski also came to Pitt and is in his second season as the special teams coordinator/tight ends coach.

Bronowski helped placekicker Ben Sauls star last season, making 21-of-24 field goals, with six field goals over 57 yards and a career-long of 58 yards that set the Pitt record at Acrisure Stadium. He earned PFF All-American and Third Team All-ACC honors and a spot at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Junko struggled at times, but still had a much better season than 2023, earning a spot on the Ray Guy Award Watch List for the best punter in the country.

Powell will reunite with Maryland head coach Michael Locksley, who he worked with at the school for three seasons, 2012-14. Locksley was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, while Powell was the running backs coach and special teams coordinator.

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